Don, I haven't received my issue of VH. I can hardly wait!!

Bob

You guys are aces!! Thanks for the article!!!

regards,
Graycg!

I realize that not everyone is a member of the Varmint Hunter Association and wont get the article. I was asked over on the Special Pistol forum if they could reproduce the article and put it up on a new page they are setting up. However, the magazine doesn't allow that, but if anyone wants a hard copy there is no reason I can't send a copy of my manuscript. So if anyone wants it, send me an email with your address and I will snail mail one to you. Email is donald.shearer@worldnet.att/net.

Don Shearer

Good day Don
I tried the email address you posted and I can't send to that address so I' posting here hoping you'll see it.


I would like a copy of yor article emailed to me also please.
Also, I would appreciate knowing from you or anyone else who has this problem how to propery size my brass for extended life. I shoot a Contender with a 7mmTCU barrel and a 375JDJ. I have verry accurate loads for both but the base of my brass breaks off about 1/4 inch from the bottom. With the 7mm TCU it wasn't too expensive to get new brass but it's a different story with the 375JDJ. I must be doing something wrong because I only get 4-5 loadings from either before this happens. Being from Canada not many people have these toys so there's not much experienced information available.
Thanks for now
Mike
mdesrosi@mts.net

Mike,

Try my email again donald.shearer@worldnet.att.net and to send a copy of the article, I have to send a hard copy by snail mail to your address (so try to email your address) as I have a graph in the paper and the software won't fit a curve that I need to have. I have to fit the curve by hand and then make hard copies.

About your brass separating just ahead of the solid case head, that is most likely from stretching of the brass on firing. It is most likely that you are pushing the shoulder back when you size the brass. Then when you fire the round, the firing pin pushes the case all the way to the front of the chamber. As the pressure builds, the brass grips the chamber and the case which is now pushed forward is pushed backward by the internal pressure. Since the case is gripped in the chamber, it gets stretched at the expansion ring which is just ahead of the solid case head. After doing this several times, the case gets thin at the expansion ring and seperates.

Alternately, if you are using heavy loads, but not oversizing, the frame can flex when you fire. When this happens, the case grips in the chamber and the flex of the frame lets the case head move rearward and in so doing stretches at the expansion ring. In the end, same results.

I would bet on the case being sized too much. To cure that, leave a small gap between the bottom of your die and the top of the shell holder. Size the case and try it in your chamber. To do that take the barrel off the frame and insert the case into the chamber. If the head of the case protrudes from the end of the chamber, you will need to screw the die down just a little more and try it again. Do this until the case head is just flush with the end of the chamber. If your barrel has a small gap between the chamber end of the barrel and the breech face of the frame, you will need to leave the case head protrue from the chamber by the amount of the gap between the chamber end of the barrel and the breechface of the frame. Try that, I think it will limit the stretching.

Don Shearer